File No. 817.51/1022
The Chargé d’Affaires of Nicaragua to the Secretary of State
Washington, October 22, 1917.
Excellency: It is very painful to me to have once more to bring to the valued attention of your excellency the subject of the financial affairs of my country, and my only excuse for so doing is because [Page 1145] the Department of State has repeatedly asserted its desire and willingness to aid us in bettering the distressing economic condition in which the Republic of Nicaragua finds itself at this time. This situation becomes daily more aggravated by the crisis caused, principally, by the lack of Government funds for the payment of a vast accumulation of back salaries. It is, therefore, indispensable, even very urgent, that the Government should pay these salaries as soon as possible in order to preserve public order and the welfare in general of the country.
On a former occasion my Government expressed this belief to the Department of State, which, knowing the circumstances and their pressing nature, made us the alluring promise that just as soon as the pending arrangements with the bankers in New York were concluded the necessary provisions would be made for the Government of Nicaragua to receive, from the Canal fund, the sum of $250,000, destined to pay the back salaries referred to. Unfortunately just as the Government of Nicaragua was prepared to sign the contracts with the above-mentioned bankers in New York, and when the Department and the Nicaraguan Government were preparing the matter of the distribution of the proceeds of the Canal Treaty, certain unavoidable difficulties and discussions arose upon some points which have caused delays as injurious as they are deplorable.
However, these disturbing conditions having now disappeared I believe that I may assert to your excellency that the arrangements have now been definitely concluded, for while it is true that there is yet to be obtained the approval of the Congress of Nicaragua to the contracts, yet in reality such approbation is no more than a mere formality, and not a substantial or intrinsic requisite to the validity of the agreements. This is well known to the Department, which is aware of the amplitude of the authority which the Nicaraguan Congress gave the Executive for formulating and carrying out these negotiations. The Department is also aware of the instructions and the authority conferred upon me by the President to enable me, as the representative of Nicaragua, to sign the respective documents.
In my opinion, therefore, the time has arrived for me to appeal to the generosity of the Government of the United States, to the end that, heeding the reasons already, given and animated by the same spirit of justice and equity with which it has proceeded always in its relations with the Government and the people of Nicaragua, it may arrange to effect, as soon as it can possibly do so, the payment of the sum mentioned to cover the residue of salaries of the Administration, in this way fulfilling its promise and aiding in an effective manner the improvement of conditions in this crisis.
I should add here that as my Government already received some days ago an advance of $25,000 for the payment of salaries, the sum now asked for the same purpose is that of 225,000 dollars.
I beg to express in advance to your excellency, the gratitude of my Government and my personal appreciation for all that you may be good enough to do in the matters treated of in this note, and I avail myself [etc.]